DOWNTOWN:
· Moulin Bleu: Saturday 10am—7pm; Sunday 11am—7pm. 176 Franklin St between Greenwich and Hudson Sts ( 212-334-1130).
· Donna Karan Personal Warehouse Sale: Saturday 10am—7pm. 711 Greenwich St between Charles and West 10th Streets (no phone).
· Elizabeth Charles: Saturday noon—7:30pm; Sunday noon—6:30pm. 639 1/2 Hudson St between Horatio and Gansevoort Sts (212-243-3201).
· Bill Blass New York: Saturday and Sunday noon—8pm. 440 Broadway between Grand and Howard Sts (212-226-4312).
After yesterday's high-drama sample sales at both Paul Smith and Olive & Bette's, we weren't sure what to expect at Donna Karan's personal warehouse sale in the West Village this morning. Thankfully, the sale was not only calm by comparison, but the prices were amazing. The designer's clothing, vintage pieces, photographs, antiques, jewelry and furniture are selling for $20-2000. Given the fact that this is the Karan's personal collection, one might think that most pieces would cost on the higher end of that range. But, to the contrary, the warehouse (formerly her late husband's art studio) was full of items priced between $5-100.
A Racked staffer checks in from the scene of Donna Karan's personal warehouse sale, which kicked off this morning at 10am at 711 Greenwich Street in the West Village. The early word: "There's only about 25 of us in line at 9:58." Does no one want Karan's cast-offs? [Racked Staff]
Label: Donna Karan Personal Warehouse Sale Deal: Thousands of articles from the designer's personal collection—vintage clothing, Urban Zen pieces, photographs, furniture, jewelry, antiques—priced to move ($20 to $2,000). Profits will benefit Karan's Urban Zen foundation. When/Where:Friday, March 14th and Saturday, March 15th. Daily 10am—7pm. 711 Greenwich St between Charles and West 10th Streets (no phone).
We're glad, for sanity's sake, that Fashion Week ended on Friday. Here, recaps of some of the last shows.
[At left, Marc Jacobs (credit); at right, John Varvatos (credit)]
When everybody goes left, Marc Jacobs heads right. As Fashion Week's final presenter on Friday night, Marc Jacobs revealed a high-concept wintry collection. While the colors were subdued and calming—grays, powder blues, off-whites—the cuts were deliberate and a bit jarring. The designs were intriguing but beware: his pleats, boxy frames, volumes of fabric and low dropwaist coats will not exactly make a gal feel light and feminine. Paul Revere hats were prominent as were puffy forehead sweatbands that looked like planet rings around the models' heads. That's Marc, though: an innovator whose most bizarre creations will in some way influence mass retail clothing we'll all be wearing a year from now.
· Photos of the Marc Jacobs collection [NY Mag]
Attention men: John Varvatos wants you to dress like his sophisticated rock stars. The designer's collection featured tailored three-piece suits in multiple gray tones and black (think Franz Ferdinand but with more metallic sheen). Vests dominated the runway—whether part of a suit, casually knitted, or made out of quilted leather. Skinny ties are still de rigueur, but giant knitted scarves and fingerless gloves were somewhat unusual accessories this season.
· Review and photos of the John Varvatos show [Haute Concept]
Today's Street Scenes subject is Tas, shot in Century 21 in the Financial District. Feel free to vote on whether you like or dislike his outfit below—your choices are 'Perfection!,' I feel strangely ambivalent about it,' or 'Who Did This To You.'
1) Blue Ribbon General Store: Initially, we thought that the papered-up exterior of Blue Ribbon General Store hid shelves filled with gourmet foodstuffs. But now the place is open, and it's actually stocked with books, gifty items and toys. Founder Ann Lopatin has a wealth of retail experience: she toiled at Coach, Ralph Lauren and Talbots before deciding to strike out on her own. 365 State St at Bond St, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn; (718) 522-9848 [Racked Staff; Brownstoner]
2) Urban Zen:Donna Karan's philanthropic arm, the Urban Zen Initiative, now has its own boutique. The vegan designer, a fan of yoga and eastern medicine, started the project after being frustrated by the shortcomings in our medical system that she noticed during her husband's battle with cancer. The Shophound, who visited the space, describes it as such: "The store...[is] classic Donna in her spiritual, world roaming mode. The space is whitewashed and furnished with natural materials and artifacts from her travels and, unlike her other stores, features other designers in addition to the Urban Zen label. The house brand consists of the kind of soft, drapey, layered dressing that never goes out of style for a certain customer." 705 Greenwich St between Charles and W 10th St; (212) 206-3999 [The Shophound]
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Label: Donna Karan Personal Warehouse Sale
1) Blue Ribbon General Store: Initially, we thought that the papered-up exterior of 
